Kolkata Fire and More Thoughts

The Kolkata fire that broke out in Stephen Court in the Park Street area, keep many thinking about the safety norms that are followed by the Municipal Authorities and the Government for buildings in the different parts of this country. Only some time back there was the Bangalore fire which is still fresh in the minds and now this sad happening.

Is it not the time for the State and the Central government to rise from their sleep and do something constructive to improve the safety norms in the buildings? We cannot simply brush away by saying the building was old and did not have the present safety norms. After all each building, big or small in size, pay their annual taxes. So it is very much within the knowledge of the authorities about each and every building and new construction that’s taking place. Seeing that the safety norms are in place becomes the foremost consideration.

After reading all the reports in the newspapers and on the television, it is very clear how the top two floors had come up. So many lives have been lost and many are still missing. For this great havoc whom do we hold responsible? A question that’ll be searching for answers but in the end the whole episode will be swept under the carpet.

India is growing, in which areas??? It is hard to say. Lives lost in fire breakouts in massive buildings, mishap after mishap at Metro Construction sites in Delhi, terror attacks like the one in Mumbai, price rise, the list is too long. Is India growing at the cost of the lives of the Aam Admi? What is the cost of the life of a common man?

A pondering thought till next general election...and then...will the same story be retold...